The Epstein Fight Shows Trump Inching Closer to Lame Duck Status..By Jim Geraghty

[mystery-ak]

By Jim Geraghty

November 18, 2025 10:01 AM


On the menu today: The U.S. House of Representatives will vote today on a resolution calling for the Department of Justice to release all files relating to Jeffrey Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell. I suspect that would include any documents involving Maxwell’s recent prison transfer. Meanwhile, former Harvard president Lawrence H. Summers, who was Treasury Secretary back during the Bill Clinton years, pays a long-delayed price for his close friendship with Epstein. Read on.

The File Wars

I am glad that President Trump now thinks that “House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files, because we have nothing to hide.” The president has come around to a position that was, as of last Thursday, further evidence of my “Trump Derangement Syndrome” in the eyes of some fans of the president. Up until this past weekend, the White House strongly opposed the release of these files.

I would note that we are talking about a resolution that would require the U.S. Department of Justice to “publicly disclose all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials in its possession that relate to Epstein or Maxwell.” These are DOJ files, so they don’t need any act of Congress to be released. Nor do they need any judge’s approval. Trump could order Attorney General Pam Bondi to release the files at any time. As of this writing, he has not done so.

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https://www.nationalreview.com/the-morning-jolt/the-epstein-fight-shows-trump-inching-closer-to-lame-duck-status/

[Timber Rattler]

Trump's at the height of his power right now.  It's all down hill from here.

[Cyber Liberty]

This vote to release files will fail because there are enough panicans that will vote against it.  Democrats will celebrate it as a great victory over the hated Donald Trump.

[DefiantMassRINO]

According to an interpretation of the US Constiution, Trump is a lame duck because he is limited to two terms ... for now.

[rustynail]

"Gloom, despair, and agony on me"

[Free Vulcan]

This thing is going to go up in a puff of smoke and disappear from the scene with a quiet whimper.

[DB]

For Democrats it is an affective talking point. Truth is irrelevant. Releasing the files removes that power from them so they will quietly block any attempt to release them. And clearly if there were anything actually useful to them in those "files" they would have released them long ago...

[catfish1957]

"218"

The entire midterms, and any progress we make as a nation, hinges on this number.

[DefiantMassRINO]

This may backfire on Dems to the delight of Trump.

Larry Summers is already Dem collateral damage.

Dems may be so blinded by ambition and vengeance that they overlook the fact that there may be many Dem names in those papers and in those emails.

If they are released en-masse and unredacted to press and to the public, neither Dems nor GOP may be able to control the narrative.  The 'narrative' may be untamed and free like a wildfire indiscriminately incinerating members of both establishments.

[Free Vulcan]

This may backfire on Dems to the delight of Trump.

Larry Summers is already Dem collateral damage.

Dems may be so blinded by ambition and vengeance that they overlook the fact that there may be many Dem names in those papers and in those emails.

If they are released en-masse and unredacted to press and to the public, neither Dems nor GOP may be able to control the narrative.  The 'narrative' may be untamed and free like a wildfire indiscriminately incinerating members of both establishments.

Which is why I believe it will suddenly evaporate and disappear - because the wrong but powerful names will be on it.

[catfish1957]

Find it funny that the dims care less that the first, and most famous perp will be Slick Willie.  Under the bus  ya go!!!!

I got money that the Bent One moves to diff.  country after it come to light.